Rivet sorting machine



Oct. 15, 1946. w. MccLAlN RIVET SORTING MACHINE Filed April 26, 1944' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f1/diz@ Mgczain Patented ct. 15, 1946 UNITED STATES AIQAI'lzll'l' OFFICE L RIVET rSQRTING MACHINE Waite McClain, Canton, Ohio kApplication April 26, 1944, Serial-No. 532,787`

`6 Claims. 1

'The invention relates to a machine forsorting rivets and the like, and more particularly to a machine for sorting the rivets as to diameter, length and head shape.

During the present emergency enormous quantities `of rivets, of aluminum or other high Cost metals or alloys, and of varying lengths and diameters `and with several diiferent shapes of heads, are being used in the manufacture of War equipment, especially aircraft.

Many of these rivets are dropped upon the floor where all sizes and styles of rivets become mixed together, and in such condition they can only be sold Aas scrap for only a small fraction of their initial cost. In large factories the value of rivets thus dropped upon the floor amounts to several hundred dollars every day.

In order to prevent the considerable loss incurred by selling such rivets for scrap, eiiorts have `been made to re-sort these rivets by hand, but owing to the slight differences in length and diameter between many of these rivets, this is a slow, tedious and expensive operation,v and is not generally used since it is not practical or economical.

Attempts have also been made to produce machines for sorting such rivets but such machines as have been put into use have not proven practical o1` economically satisfactory for separating rivets of different diameters and different lengths and for separating rivets having flat heads, round heads and countersunk heads from each other.

It is therefore an object of the `present invention to provide a sorting machine which will satisfactorily and economically sort rivets of different sizes.

yAnother object is to provide such a machine which will sort rivets of different diameters and of different lengths, separating all rivets of each diameter and all rivets of each length of any given diameter.

A further object is to provide a machine which will sort. rivets with different `styles of heads, separating the flat head rivets, round head rivets and countersunk head rivets from each other.

A still further `object of the invention is -to provide a machine of this kind which operates entirely automatically and which Will quickly and efiiciently accomplish the sorting of the rivets so `that considerable saving of labor is effected.

Another V,Object is to provide a rivet sorting machine having a novel feeding device comprisine ,a rotary drnm .with radial elevator ,Plates Va rivet sorting machine having a rotating,

notched .disc With feeding means for feeding rivets thereto so that they will hang vertically in the notches of .thedisc and a plurality of rapidly rotating elliptical knockout discs located at progressively increasing heights below the peripheral portion of the disc for separating rivets of dierent lengths.

`A still fprtgher object is the provision of a rivet sorting machine having vmeans for separating rivets with different styles of heads, said means including `a rotating, peripherally notched disc with feeding means for feeding the rivets thereto, a novel knockout means for removing all rivets with flat heads at one point, yan angular iinger .extending above the peripheral portion of the disc at a point beyond said knockout means ,and in the path of theheads ,of the round head rivets for separating theround head rivets at this point, and a similar finger extending beneath the peripheral portion of the disc at a further point and in the path of the Shanks of me lrivets for removing .the .couetersunk head rivets at this point.

It is another ob-ject 4of the invention to generally `improve and simplify the construction and operation of machines of this `character so that Arivets of diferent ,diametersand different Alengths and of I,three or more different head styles may be fed 4to Vthe vmachine ,and vquickly and eiciently separated so that in ashort time all rivets of 4the same length and Same diameter and with `the same style of head may be segregated.

The above objects together with others which will beapparent from the drawings and following description, lor which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved rivet sorting machine in the manner illustrated in the accompanying ,drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of the feeding mechanism by means of which rivets may be fed to the sorting mechanism at the proper rate `of, speed;

' -2is a front sectional Velevation Yof thegfeeding drum Vvvitrh the adjustable elevator plates therein; Y

Eig. 3 a Vtop plan jviWof `thegnechanism for which cooperates with the spirally located spring loaded dogs upon the cylinder.

General description The improved rivet sorting machine includes briefly a feeding mechanisrnfor feeding rivets at the proper rate of speed to the sorting mechanism of the machine; a cylinder unit to which the rivets of various diameters, lengths and head styles are fed from the feeding mechanism, the

cylinder unit separating rivets `of different diameters, regardless of lengths or head styles; one or more disc units to which rivets of each diameter, but regardless of length or head size are fed from the cylinder unit, this disc unit separating the rivets according to length but regardless of head styles; and another disc unit to which rivets of each length and diameter are fed from the previous unit, this last disc unit separating the rivets as to head styles so that after the rivets have passed through the final separating unit all rivets of one diameter, one length and one head style are segregated.

Feeding mechanism The feeding mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a oylindric drum indicated generally at 28, open at its outer side as at 2l and mounted for rotation upon an inclined axis as indicated at 22 so that the drum is tilted slightly backward as shown in Fig. 1.

` The shaft 23 of the drum may be journalled through bearings 24 formed on a gear housing 25 mounted upon a base 25 and a worm gear 21 may be fixed upon said shaft and arranged to mesh with a worm screw 28 upon the outer end of which is xed a pulley 2S driven as by the belt 3|! from a motor or other suitable source o-f power.

A plurality of spaced lugs 3l are fixed upon the interior of the drum 2i) adjacent -to the back wall 32 thereof, each lug having aradial face 33 upon which is adjustably mounted an elevator plate 34 by means of the bolts 35 located through elongated slots 36 in the plate.

An inclined chute 31 maybe supported, as upon the bracket 38 mounted upon the base 26, the upper open end of said chute extending into the drum and terminating at a point spaced from the top thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in position to receive the rivets from each elevator plate 34 as it is rotated to the top of the drum.

Rivets of all diameters, lengths and head styles may be thrown into the drum and will be fed at the proper rate of speed to the conveyor or chute 3l through which they will pass by gravity to the cylinder unit shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Diameter sorting mechanism This una induces a housing indicated genin-bearings 4I in the side walls of the housing 38 E. v

and has fixed thereon a plurality of spiders 42 lo- ,cated at spaced intervals throughout the lengths of the cylinder.

Each of the end plates or heads 43 of the cylinder may be provided with an arcuate groove 44, and a bolt or screw 45 in one leg of each endmost spider 42 may be extended therethrough for adjusting the position of the shaft or spider relative to the cylinder.

' A plurality of tie rods d may be located longitudinally through the cylinder near the periphery thereof, extending through the heads 43 thereof, nuts 41 being provided upon opposite ends of the said tie rods for holding the cylinder in assembled condition.

' The cylinder is provided throughout its length ywith a spirally arranged series of slots 48 and ,spiders 42 so that the dogs will normally project through the slots but are exibly mounted s-o that they may be independently pushed inward.

A notched plate or comb 5i is suspended from the top plate 52 of the housing at a point directly above the top of the cylinder and provided at its lower end with a plurality of notches 3 positioned to receive the dogs 49 as the cylinder is rotated in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig, 4. Transverse, flexible bafes 52a may be suspended at intervals from the top plate 52. These flexible baiiles, as shown in Fig. 4 have their lower edges inclined and slightly spaced above the inclined plate 54, as indicated at 52h, and their inner edges are arcuate, as indicated at 52e and slightly spaced from the periphery of the cylinder 39,

.An inclined plate 54 is located longitudinally through the housing and extends downwardly from a point near the back wall 55 of the housing to a point slightly spaced from the cylinder. This inclined plate may be adjusted toward or from the cylinder by means of the bolts 55 carried by the depending lugs 5'! at opposite ends of the plate 54 and located through the slots 58 in the walls 59 of the housing.

The inner edge S0 of the inclined plate 54 is parallel with the cylinder 39 throughout a considerable portion of its length and is spaced from the cylinder a sucient distance to allow only the smallest size of rivet being sorted to pass between the edge 59 of the plate and the cylinder and drop intothe receptacle or chute 6l located in the lower portion of the housing.

Beyond this point the inner edge of the plate 54 is progressively cut away at intervals as indicated at 52, each cut away portion being parallel with the cylinder and so spaced therefrom that each cut away portion 52 will permit the next larger diameter of rivet to pass between the same and the cylinder dropping into the corresponding receptacles or chutes 63 in the lower portion of the housing from which they may be conveyed.

The end walls 59 of the housing are mounted upon the base 64 as by the angular brackets 65 and may be tied together as by the longitudinal tie rods 66. A pulley 61 may be fixed upon the shaft 43 of the cylinder and driven by a belt connected to any suitable source of power 'for rotating the cylinder 39 in the direction of the ar- ,rows shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

flat, round and countersunk heads may be fed at the desired lrate of speed from the feeding mechanism through the chute` 31 from which they are deposited upon the inclined plate 54 at the entrance end of the machine which is at the left side thereof as Viewed in Fig. 3.

As the cylinder 39 revolves the rivets are continuously agitated by the spirally located spring loaded dogs 49 the smallest diameter rivets being dropped between the cylinder and the edge 60 of the plate into the receptacle or chute 6l, while all rivets of larger diameters will be thrown about and turned by the dogs 49 until they hang vertically through the space between the cylinder and the edge 6E! of the plate, with their Shanks down as indicated at R in Fig. 5.

These larger rivets are carried to the right along the edge 60 of the plate by means of the spirally located dogs 49 and as they reach the cut away porti-ons 62 at the edge of the plate they are separated according to diameters dropping into the proper receptacle or chute 63 as they reach the out away portion $2 of the plate which is spaced sufliciently from the cylinder to permit them to pass therebetween.

If desired, the last cut away portion 62a of the plate may provide a sufficiently wide space to permit all rivets beyond a certain diameter to drop therethrough. These larger size rivets may be again run through the machine after the inclined plate 54 is adjusted relative to the cylinder so that these larger size of rivets may be sorted. It should be understood of course that the unit shown in Figs. 3 and 4 may be made of such length that the inclined plate 54 may have a suiiicient number of cut away portions $2 to separate all diameters of rivets in one operation.

I claim:

l. A machine for sorting rivets in accordance with their diameter, comprising a substantially horizontal cylinder having slots in its peripheral portion, a spirally arranged series of pivoted, spring loaded projections operating within the cylinder through said slots, an inclined plate having its lower edge spaced from and parallel with the cylinder, a portion of the lower edge of the plate being so spaced from the cylinder that only the smallest rivets may pass between the plate and the cylinder, the remainder of said lower edge of the plate being progressively cut away to allow progressively larger diameter rivets to pass between the same and the cylinder, and means for feeding rivets to said inclined plate.

2. A machine for sorting rivets in accordance with their diameter, comprising a substantially horizontal cylinder having slots in its peripheral portion, a spirally arranged series of flexibly mounted projections operating within the cylinder through said slots, an inclined plate having its lower edge spaced from and parallel with the cylinder, a portion of the lower edge of the plate being so spaced from the cylinder that only the smallest rivets may pass between the plate and the cylinder, the remainder of said lower edge of the plate being progressively cut away to allow progressively larger diameter rivets to pass between the same and the cylinder, and means for feeding rivets to said inclined plate.

3. A machine for sorting rivets in accordance with their diameter, comprising a substantially horizontal cylinder having slots in its peripheral portion, a spirally arranged series of spring loaded projections operating 'within the cylinder through said slots, an inclined plate having its lower edge spaced from and parallel with the cylinder, a portion of the lower edge of the plate being so spaced from the cylinder that only the smallest rivets may pass between the plate and the cylinder, the remainder of said lower edge of the plate being progressively cut away to allow progressively larger diameter rivets to pass between the same and the cylinder, and means for feeding rivets to said inclined plate.

4. A machine for sorting rivets in accordance with their diameter, comprising a substantially horizontal cylinder having slots in its peripheral portion, a spirally arranged series of spring loaded projections operating within the cylinder through said slots, an inclined plate having its lower edge spaced from and parallel with the cylinder, a portion of the lower edge of the plate being so spaced from the cylinder that only the smallest rivets may pass between the plate and the cylinder, the remainder of said lower edge of the plate being progressively cut away to allow progressively larger diameter rivets to pass between the same and the cylinder, a housing enclosing said cylinder and inclined plate, a slotted plate extending from the top of the housing to the top of the cylinder and having spaced sl-ots to receive said projections, transversely disposed balles suspended from the top of the housing above the cylinder and inclined plate and means for feeding rivets to said inclined plate.

5. A machine for sorting rivets in accordance with their diameter, comprising a substantially horizontal cylinder having slots in its peripheral portion, a spirally arranged series of pivoted, spring loaded projections operating within the cylinder through said slots, an inclined plate having its lower edge spaced from and parallel with the cylinder, a portion of the lower edge of the plate being so spaced from the cylinder that only the smallest rivets may pass between the plate and the cylinder, the remainder of said lower edge of the plate being progressively cut away to allow progressively larger diameter rivets to pass between the same and the cylinder, a slotted plate extending from the top of the housing to the top of the cylinder and having spaced slots therein to receive said projections, and means for feeding rivets to said inclined plate.

6. A machine for sorting rivets in accordance with their diameter, comprising a substantially horizontal cylinder having slots in its peripheral portion, a spirally arranged series of iiexibly mounted projections operating within the cylinder through said slots, an inclined plate having its lower edge spaced from and parallel with the cylinder, a portion of the lower edge of the plate being so spaced from the cylinder that only the smallest rivets may pass between the plate and the cylinder, the remainder of said lower edge of the plate being progressively cut away to allow progressively larger diameter rivets to pass between the same and the cylinder, a slotted plate extending from the top of the housing to the top of the cylinder and having spaced slots therein to receive said projections, and means'for feeding rivets to said inclined plate.

' WAITE MCCLAIN. 

